CHAPTER 44 - THE JOINING
As darkness gently fell, the group thought it safest to return to their room. Boy slumped dejectedly into the armchair. "This is the night of the full moon. A time when any magic may be cast at its greatest strength. Manny is right about the need to match blood for blood. I could obtain a goat, but we’d all have to agree."
"There must be something else we can do," pleaded Samantha. "Think, Boy!"
"There is another choice. Another way to boost our power. I didn’t mention it before because, well, I thought you’d think I was trying to manipulate you."
"Think what? What are you talking about?" demanded Robin.
"Sex magic," murmured Boy. "It’s a perfectly legitimate way of raising great power during a ceremony. We never use it because I wanted to attract only serious Wiccans in our coven. Besides, there never was a need for employing such a measure before."
"Our lives were never in danger before," Samantha wailed. "If we’re to consider using it, you'd best explain the magical process." The women drew up chairs, the better to listen.
"Sex magic is not as powerful as a blood sacrifice," Boy began, "but it is the next best way to raise the energy we need. This part of the ritual may be performed by a single witch, or a male and female couple, or a couple of the same gender, or the whole coven may join in."
"Ah, multiple choice," mused Cat.
"We need to discuss this. Give us a minute," Robin said.
The women went into a huddle, whispering excitedly and waving their arms as they spoke. When they turned back to Boy, Raven was their spokesperson.
"We’ve decided that sex magic may be a very preferable alternative to a blood sacrifice. We have also decided it would be best to accomplish this through one couple, that is, one man and one woman. You, of course, would be the Lord, but we're having trouble deciding which of us should be the Lady in question."
Boy nodded. "This is a very serious step. The ceremony won’t work if the participants are embarrassed or if one is not fully committed. We will not only fail, we would be left twice as defenseless and the ceremony may not be attempted again."
"This means," he said, looking at Robin, "that no one is to make any bad jokes about what we are about to do. And no disparaging remarks to the chosen ones."
Robin nodded meekly and the others murmured assent. "Raven is the most logical choice," Samantha said. "I mean, she’s descended from a long line of Druids and all that."
"We don’t mean to pressure you," said Cat as she hugged Raven, "but you seem to have inherited special abilities and you’re already serving as high priestess."
"It’s your decision," said Robin. "If you don’t want to do it, no one will blame you."
"It’s all right," Raven insisted. "I know I’m the most logical choice. In ancient times, this was a well-recognized means of tapping into energy. And I admit, I kind of always wanted to try it."
With the Lord and Lady chosen, it was necessary to define everyone’s role before the circle was drawn and the ceremony underway. They decided to cast the circle twice, as they had done before. Boy stressed it was more important than ever not to break the circle prematurely. "Your power will leak out," he cautioned, "and evil and mischievous spirits might be attracted to enter."
The five Wiccans also decided to perform the ceremony sky clad since it had worked so well during the protection spell. The makeshift altar was dragged into place and ritual objects and candles set up.
"We must have a common goal during this ceremony," Boy continued. "Remember, we cannot match Ramon blood for blood, so we’re not going to try for a magical offensive. We‘ll be more effective if we can turn his own power against him. I want him to become confused. I want him to make mistakes when he enters a room. I want him banging into walls and tripping over chairs."
"When Raven and I become engaged, the rest of you will be dancing a basic reel and chanting. You have to begin slowly and build power. When we’ve raised enough energy, we’re going to launch it into the atmosphere as if we’re sending a rocket to the moon."
They chose a chant and last call was given to be sure everything was in place. Lamps were extinguished and, by the light of the full moon, they stripped to sky clad.
Lady Raven drew the circle with her athame and Samantha followed closely, outlining the circle with salt. The Guardians of the Gates were summoned and the candles lit. The Lord and Lady anointed each other and shared the chalice, his hands touching hers somewhat longer than ever before. Then they blessed the others.
Lady Raven charged the Guardians.
"Aid us in this magical cause and protect us
from all evil and mischievous entities."
The group spent a few minutes in meditation, envisioning their wish that any evil directed against them be returned to its source. Then the Lord and Lady sat on the floor, facing one another. Each began to touch the other with slow, gentle caresses, building in intimacy and intensity.
When the Lady moved forward, gently lowering herself onto the Lord’s lap, the others began to dance. Slowly at first, then when the chosen ones took a more serious position, the dancer’s pace and chant began to build.
"Free us from this cursed bane!
Send evil back to whence it came."
As the pace increased and the energy grew stronger, so did the determination of the participants. By the full moon and flickering candlelight, the group reached a state of frenzy, but no one would release the energy for fear the others weren’t ready. Finally, they could be contained no longer and, like a bright, blue explosion, their collective energy was released into the atmosphere.
Only Cat retained the presence of mind to command, "SO MOTE BE IT!"
Stunned, they collapsed to the floor. When they began to stir, Boy cried out, "Don’t break the circle. We never dismissed the Guardians."
Everyone looked to Raven. She had summoned the Guardians and charged them, so she had to be the one to dismiss them. The others helped Raven to her feet. In a quavering voice, she thanked the Guardians for their aid and protection, then dismissed them. It was now safe to exit the circle.
The Lord brought the Lady her clothes, asking, "Are you all right?" Raven nodded weakly.
"We did it!" exclaimed Robin. "We really did it!"
Cat howled with glee. "After that ceremony, Ramon’s gonna be walking with a limp."
As they congratulated themselves, the five Wiccans had no way of knowing that, on this very night, other magic was abroad in the land. Manny’s friends had held their own ceremony to return the evil to its source and, back in Santo Domingo, Rosalinda the Elder had also engaged in a very serious ritual to decide Ramon’s fate. All working toward the same end, the three ceremonies complemented one another and joined with René’s magic.
Ramon, now homeless and on the run, was sleeping in his car when something the size of a runaway truck struck the vehicle. Shocked awake, he leapt out to see what had happened and found nothing. Obviously, a powerful magic had come to call and he knew who was behind it.
He thought of the bundle containing René’s zombie powder and swore he would strike out at those tourists the next day, starting with the tall woman.
Spellbound: a Tale of Magic, Mystery & Murder Page 47